Going to OZ for a week- Cell package?

L

Leftfoot

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Durban, KZN, South Africa, Earth.
Im going to the Australia :-/ on the 26th for 2 weeks and I want to use my N95 for internet 3G etc. I imagine "pay as you go" is the way forward but with which service provider. On previous occasions in the UK I went with Vodafone, but the data rate was very high....any other ideas. (Incidently, Im not needing a DATA card, N95 does just fine)

I was also rescently in the UK and Orange had a great package. Data capped at 1 Pound a day and calls to South Africa 6 pence a minute. I am looking at somthing similar in OZ :-/

I would be gratefull if anyone has any ideas along those lines for OZ.
 
You could also look at these links. I don't think that your phone will be able to connect to Telstra's 850MHz HSDPA network though (it probably only supports HSDPA at 2100MHz). It should work on the other networks like 3, Vodafone, Optus etc. For future reference, I think that the 3 network allows free international roaming if you have a UK prepaid Sim with a data bundle etc.
Just click on the prepaid offer 'click here' link for the different operators.
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/australia.html

http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Australia+-+Telstra
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pNfu-hB3cInVsy__jXzBARQ&output=html&gid=0&single=true
http://mobilesociety.typepad.com/mobile_life/2008/06/3-uk-data-roaming-performance.html
 
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When I was in aus, I found that the easiest way to have data was to use 'Yes' Optus...
Vodafone don't have many prepaid gprs options...
I got a GPRS/EDGE connection, all over the country (sydney,brisbane and perth), so if ur looking for speed, look elsewhere, but just for decent data, Optus was the way, slightly pricey... I think I remember $1/MB, but when u buy a $30 starter pack, u get like $200 worth of airtime...
beware, its not as easy as SA, buying over the counter, u gotta go thru activation in store etc... but just go to a decent mobile outlet and they'll sort u out.
hope that helps
 
...and you though SA had bad sevice!...Try "yes" Optus in Australia! The staff have no idea what 3G or HSDPA was, they simply hand you a voice activated phone (that can't understand South African English) that routes you to some call center in India where the chap (who can hardly speak english) tells me that the Nokia N95 cannot do 3G!!! This after I have used 3G in 7 other countries no problem. It took a further hour and a half to activate my SIM and another 2 days to get the correct DATA setting to my phone. The billing stucture is so much more confusing than Telkoms very best effort.....and every time you make a query, you are handed I phone routed to India.

Thank God for Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C......at least its easier with you!

The last straw was when I tried to recharge in Perth ... only to be told Optus was going bankrupt and the machines will not do any Optus recharges anymore......really??!! I now have a worthless SIM!
 
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